


stay close, dear heart

by Iris_Duncan_72



Series: Kisses!! [4]
Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Non-Famous, And Of Course - Freeform, Car Accidents, Hurt/Comfort, Kisses, M/M, Minor Injuries, Panic Attacks, kind of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-20
Updated: 2019-05-20
Packaged: 2020-03-08 11:59:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,109
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18894205
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Iris_Duncan_72/pseuds/Iris_Duncan_72
Summary: All it takes is a moment.





	1. Chapter 1

It all happened so quickly.

One moment Hyunjin was just there across the street, smiling at him and bearing two smoothies in recyclable, orange cups, checking both ways before he crossed the road.  Then Changbin nearly tripped over his own shoes for no reason at all, dropping his phone and stooping to pick it up, hoping it hadn’t –

_Screech._

_Thump._

Two sounds that lasted less than a second but which would haunt Changbin’s nightmares for years to come.  He jerked up his head to see what had happened.  He _knew_ but his mind hadn’t caught up yet, he needed to see it.

There was a shiny black SUV stopped in the middle of the road and there were people yelling and the driver’s door was opening, someone emerging frantically, and –

And lying crumpled on the tarmac like a puppet with all his strings cut, surrounded by a mess of pink liquid –

Was Hyunjin.

Changbin stopped breathing.  Possibly it was because his lungs had completely ceased to work or possibly it was because of the scream of denial that ripped from his throat before he could even blink.  He couldn’t really hear anything anymore and that turned his balance to absolute shit as he forced himself upright and staggered into the street, towards Hyunjin.

People were gathering ( _like vultures_ , Changbin would later think) but none of them mattered and he shoved them out of his way, dropping to his knees in the pink slush on the ground ( _no blood please no blood please you can’t please_ ).

Hands reached for him, people shouting at him to get away, the horrified driver pale-faced on Hyunjin’s other side.  Changbin snarled viciously at them all.  _Stay away.  He’s mine.  You hurt him, I won’t allow you to touch him again_.  He didn’t know if any of these knife-sharp words made it out of his head but they stopped trying to pull him away.

Changbin did not lay a finger on Hyunjin, though he stayed very close.  He knew you weren’t meant to touch people who’d been – been in accidents like this.  You might hurt them more.  Changbin would cut off his hands before he hurt Hyunjin.  So he just stared, unblinking down at his horribly still boyfriend, feeling like everything inside of him had been ripped out and the remaining husk set on fire.

_Breathing.  Check the breathing.  He has to breathe._

Changbin tried to judge if Hyunjin’s chest was rising and falling but his eyes were blurring.  He went to put a hand by Hyunjin’s red mouth ( _no blood please no blood please please_ ) but, oh, he was shaking.  So instead he set his hands on either side of Hyunjin’s head, that inky black hair clumped with what he hoped to the _gods_ was smoothie and not – and not –

He leant down, put his ear close to familiar lips, trying to tell, listening and straining and –

A tiny puff of warmth.  Another one.  And a third.

Changbin nearly collapsed with a relief he couldn’t really feel but slackened his muscled anyway.

More hands on his shoulders, tugging him, moving him back, and Changbin whirled around, ready to fight with tooth and nail – but no, these were paramedics.  They would help Hyunjin.  Oh please, oh please, let the help Hyunjin.

‘Please,’ Changbin whispered, his voice utterly shot.  He could feel the prickle of tears running down his face as he stared at the female paramedic who had drawn him back, who still had a hand on his arm.

Her expression was very serious but not unkind.  ‘We are going to help your friend,’ she said, and he got the impression she was talking slower, louder than normal.  ‘We will take him to the hospital.’

That – that was _good_ but – but then Hyunjin would be out of Changbin’s reach and sight and he couldn’t let that happen again, he couldn’t, they couldn’t make him –

‘You can come with us,’ the woman told him, and he wondered if she was a mind reader.  ‘Can you tell me if your friend has any health or medical problems that we should be aware of?’

Changbin blinked very slowly, taking a moment to understand her question.  Hyunjin was a dancer, he was fit and healthy and beautiful and perfect –

He shook his head and the woman said, ‘Thank you,’ before making several hand gestures and calling something over his shoulder.

He turned and saw someone fitting a neck brace to Hyunjin and then, with two other paramedics, moving him onto a stretcher.  There was also an ambulance just ahead, which Changbin hadn’t noticed arrive, and much less people than there had been.  One man was still here, though, a man who looked very upset.  He was standing by his car, nodding along with whatever one of the medics was saying.  As if he felt Changbin’s deadened stare on him, the man glanced over and _oh_.

Guilt.  Pain.  Regret.

_He hurt Hyunjin_ , Changbin distantly realised.  His body, which had been feeling quite numb, went cold.  Without meaning to, he started getting to his feet and the man flinched back.  Changbin wondered briefly what his own expression looked like.

But then he was being forcibly turned around, the woman frowning at him grimly.

‘You can’t do that,’ she said sternly.  ‘If you go after him, who will go with your friend to the hospital?’

That was all it took for the man to vanish from Changbin’s mind and he whipped around again, searching for Hyunjin, only to see him being slotted into the ambulance, the medics climbing in behind him.

‘Time to go,’ Changbin’s paramedic said, pushing him towards the vehicle and he scrambled inside without hesitation, eyes fixed on Hyunjin.

Liquid dripped onto Changbin’s hands when he sat next to the stretcher and he supposed he must still be crying.  Oh well.  Not much he could do about that.  Why was Hyunjin so pale?  So quiet?  Hyunjin was a loud person, someone with a bright spirit that radiated through him, blessing everyone he came into contact with.  Where was that brightness now?

‘What’s your name?’

Changbin did not bother to glance at the lady who asked the question.  He did not want to answer either but he knew Hyunjin would tell him to be polite and helpful.

‘Seo Changbin,’ he rasped.  ‘He’s Hwang Hyunjin.’

‘Thank you, Changbin-ssi.  My name is Park Jihyo.  Is there someone you need to call, for you or Hyunjin-ssi?’

‘Is he going to be okay?’  The question slipped out between one tiny jolt in the ambulance and the next.  Changbin was pretty sure he could hear sirens.  That must be them.

‘Yes,’ came a new voice.

He managed to tear his gaze away from Hyunjin for a second, seeing a man sitting next to Jihyo, tapping something into his bulky tablet.  The man looked at him calmly and Changbin thought that might be what Jisung would look like in twenty years.

‘Hyunjin-ssi will be okay,’ the man reiterated.  ‘He has a mild concussion, a fractured ulna, a possible cracked rib or two, and severe bruising.  He will require a lot of rest to get better, but he will be alright, Changbin-ssi.’

_He will be alright._

Changbin’s throat felt tight as he reached out to very gently rest his hand on Hyunjin’s.

_He will get better._

No-one made any comment as Changbin’s breath hitched and he quietly wept.


	2. Chapter 2

Everything was a blur in Changbin’s mind after they arrived at the hospital.  They went this way and that, doctors and nurses came and went.  Never once did he let Hyunjin’s get more than five paces ahead of him.

At last, he was parked in a small room with a few chairs and told to wait there while a nurse wheeled Hyunjin’s gurney into the room next door and the doctor pulled the door shut behind them.

With nothing better to do, Changbin sat on a chair in the empty white room.

_I should call someone._

Images of bleached curls and deep dimples and warm hugs promptly appeared in his mind.  Changbin pulled out his phone – no scratches – and hit the speed dial.  He hoped his voice would cooperate.

Chan picked up after three rings.  ‘ _Hey Binnie, what’s up?_ ’

Changbin burst into tears.  He immediately tried to muffle them, clapping a hand over his mouth and drawing his knees up to his chin, but they would not be stopped.  He didn’t know how long passed before he could draw breath again to reassure a frantic Chan on the other end of the line.

‘I – I’m okay, hyung, I’m fine, I just, it’s –’

‘ _Easy does it, breathe for me, Changbin._ ’

Gods above, why did Chan always make him feel like a small child seeking comfort from an older brother?

‘ _Can you tell me what’s happened?  Where’s Hyunjin, weren’t you with him?_ ’

A deep, raw sob tore its way out of Changbin’s chest, ripping and cutting and making him bleed.  ‘Hyunjinnie – hyung, Hyunjinnie was hit b-by a car –’

Chan’s appalled gasp was quite audible.

‘He’s gonna be okay,’ Changbin rushed to add, nearly choking on his tongue.  ‘The p-paramedic said so but – I’m at the hospital, hyung, they’re with him in a room and I – I can’t – hyung, please, I don’t –’

‘ _Alright, sweetheart, thank you for telling me.  I’m going to come and meet you, okay?  I’ll be there in fifteen minutes, tops._ ’

Changbin could hear rustling sounds, the clink of keys, the slam of a door.

‘ _Where are you in the hospital, Changbinnie, can you tell me?  Which waiting room?  So hyung can find you._ ’

Glancing up at the wall, Changbin saw a large blue 3A painted there and he relayed this to Chan.

‘ _Thank you, sweetheart._ ’  The thump of a car door, the coughing rumble of an engine turning over.  ‘ _I’m going to hang up now, alright?  But I’ll see you really soon._ ’

‘O-okay, hyung,’ Changbin mumbled, clutching his phone to his ear like a life support.

‘ _I want you to call Woojin, okay?  Will you do that for me, Changbinnie?  Call Woojin and tell him what happened.  He’ll keep you company until I get there._ ’

Changbin swallowed thickly.  ‘I will,’ he whispered.

‘ _Good.  See you very soon, sweetheart._ ’

The call ended.

It cost Changbin an unimaginably large effort to speed dial Woojin’s number, but he’d promised Chan.  And of course, it was a good idea, Woojin’s smooth, steady voice keeping Changbin from losing his mind in this unfriendly little room.

Then Chan arrived, skidding around the corner with wild eyes and dandelion hair.  He spotted Changbin and immediately hurried to him.  Spluttering a hasty goodbye, Changbin hung up on Woojin and launched himself into Chan’s arms.  He wasn’t sure when he’d started crying again.  Chan caught him and barely staggered, slowly guiding them back to a seat, where he hugged Changbin, crooning reassurances in his ear.

They were there for perhaps another half an hour.  Changbin spent much of the time latched onto Chan for support, the older boy’s arm wrapped firmly around his shoulders.  It was Chan of course who had the presence of mind to call Hyunjin’s parents, halfway across the country, and inform them of what had happened.

Changbin shook his head quickly when Chan offered him the phone – he’d probably start sobbing again if he spoke to them.  Much of his earlier shock had worn off and now it was all he could do to keep from breaking into the next room or curling up on the floor and crying his lungs out.

Finally, the door to the next room opened and the same doctor who gone in with Hyunjin stepped out, clipboard in hand.  The two waiting young men both surged to their feet, Changbin’s sweaty hand entwined with Chan’s.

‘You are friends of Hyunjin-ssi, yes?’ the doctor asked, sharp eyes darting between them both.

‘I’m his boyfriend but yeah,’ Changbin replied hoarsely, hoping this guy wasn’t a massive homophobic prick.

The doctor, however, didn’t seem fazed.  ‘Well then, I am pleased to inform you that Hyunjin-ssi will be fine.  He has no major injuries and should make a full recovery within eight weeks.  Nonetheless, we will be keeping him in for observation overnight to ensure nothing changes.’

Changbin’s knees felt unreliably weak and he sagged with relief against Chan, who squeezed his hand.

‘How is he?’ Chan asked.

_Can I see him?  Please._

‘Resting,’ was the uninspiring reply.  The doctor’s gaze lingered on Changbin’s tear-stained faced.  ‘But... I think your company would more likely do him good than bad, he’s quite restless.  As long as said company didn’t overexcite him,’ the man added sternly, raising his brows meaningfully at them.

Changbin stepped forward, heart fluttering in his throat.  ‘Please let me see him.’

The doctor moved, aside, allowing Changbin to pass him through the open door.  Immediately taking the invitation, he heard the doctor ask Chan something about Hyunjin’s family as Changbin’s attention narrowed in on a bed poking out from around a partially drawn curtain.  He trusted Chan to handle that.  Right now he just... really needed to see Hyunjin.

Unwilling to disturb the blanket of quiet in the room, Changbin kept his footsteps light as he rounded the curtain.  He stopped at the foot of the bed, a tight breathlessness seizing his chest.

Hyunjin was awake, blinking up at the ceiling, a bandage patch taped to his right temple, a slight, reddened scrape on his jaw.  He had a hospital cuff fastened loosely around his wrist and a monitor clipped to one finger.  Thick bandaging had mummified his other forearm, but Changbin noted vaguely that he was still in his own t-shirt instead of a gown.

The important part was that he was alive.

_He’s going to be okay._

Hyunjin’s gaze flicked down and locked on Changbin’s.  His slightly dopey expression melted into one of relief and he twitched the hand of his injured arm towards his boyfriend.

‘Changbin...’

The lack of formality barely registered in Changbin’s head as he hurried to Hyunjin’s side, gingerly taking his hand.  He choked for a second, emotions clogging his throat and inspecting every inch of the taller boy that he could see.

‘You’re here,’ Hyunjin said happily, only for a mournful look to take over, pushing his lips out in a pout.  ‘Where did you go?’

Changbin nearly burst into tears again.  How close had he been to never again hearing Hyunjin whine?  Or seeing his ridiculously cute pout?  Or feeling the warmth of his soft skin?

‘Hyung?  Why are you making that face?’

‘ _I almost lost you_ ,’ Changbin burst out, distinctly strangled.  He wrapped his empty hand around the bed’s low railing, squeezing it instead of Hyunjin’s hand.

‘Hyung –’

‘You could have _died_.’  His voice broke on the last word and he hunched over the bed, head bowed and eyes shut tight.  Sucking in a deep breath as he fought to hold back the tears burning behind his eyelids, he whispered, ‘You could have died and I would have lost you forever.’

‘ _Hyung_.’

Insistent fingers and the cool plastic of the pulse monitor under his chin forced Changbin’s head up.  He tried to blink the blur from his eyes and felt two tears make good their escape.

Hyunjin’s eyes glimmered and his lower lip trembled.  ‘Hyung,’ he repeated, sounding a moment away from crying himself.  ‘You didn’t lose me, okay?  I’m right here.  Y-you think I’d let a stupid car take me away from you?’  The starched pillow crackled as he shook his head against it, threading his fingers firmly through Changbin’s.  ‘Of course not, you _idiot_.’

Changbin snorted weakly, feeling more tears slip free as he rested his forearms on the rail, clasping Hyunjin’s hand in both of his.  He stared at the injured boy for a long moment, Hyunjin returning the stare with wide, imploring eyes.

‘I’ve never been more scared in my life,’ Changbin confessed softly.

‘Not even when –’ Hyunjin began tremulously, only to be interrupted by Changbin shaking his head, saying, ‘Not even then.’

‘You don’t know what I was going to say.’

‘Doesn’t matter.’  Inhaling shakily, the older boy pressed a careful kiss to the back of Hyunjin’s hand, sadly eying his bandage.  Long lashes swept up, his dark eyes meeting Hyunjin’s once more.  ‘I can’t – _can’t_ do this without you, Hyunjin,’ Changbin said lowly, managing to keep the waver in his voice to a bare minimum.  ‘S-so you’ve gotta stick around, alright?  Please, baby.’

‘You say that like I want anything else,’ Hyunjin replied tremulously.  He pulled his hand from Changbin’s grip and tried to lift it to the elder’s face but hissed in pain, draping his arm over his abdomen instead.

Changbin’s heart felt bruised beneath the blow of Hyunjin’s pained expression, breathing stuttering for a second, and he hovered uselessly, ready to call for a nurse.

But the look on Hyunjin’s face was determined as he said, only slightly strained, ‘Come down here.’

Eyes widening in surprise, Changbin’s said, ‘You’re hurt, we shouldn’t –’

‘You think you’re the only one who was scared?’ Hyunjin demanded and the older boy immediately felt like the biggest asshole in the world.  ‘ _Prove_ to me that I’m still here.  That you’re still here.’

Changbin’s breath hitched.  He stared at Hyunjin for a long moment, Hyunjin looking at him with wide, shiny eyes.  The quiet beeping of the machines and humming of the lights were the only sounds.  Then slowly, slowly he leaned across the bed ‘til Hyunjin’s breath ghosted over his mouth, the younger boy’s eyes fluttering shut.  Changbin’s eyelids dipped to half-mast and he brushed his nose alongside Hyunjin’s, skimming his cheekbone.

_He’s safe.  He’s here and he’s safe and he’ll be alright._

Changbin knew it wouldn’t be as easy as that to reassure his subconscious but for now, it would do.  With gentle purpose, he pressed his lips against Hyunjin’s, one hand shifting to cradle the side of the younger boy’s head.  Hyunjin leaned into the kiss, parting his lips a fraction, and Changbin licked over them.  His tongue did not delve deep into Hyunjin’s mouth and he kept the kiss soft, sweet, and oh-so-loving.

_I love you so much,_ he said through the swipe of his tongue across Hyunjin’s upper lip.

_Please don’t leave me_ , he said with a graze of his teeth.

_I will stay by your side for as long as you’ll have me_ , he said in the push of his mouth against Hyunjin’s.

They broke for air and their lashes rose meet each other’s gaze, warm with tenderness.

‘I’m here,’ Hyunjin whispered against Changbin’s lips.  ‘I’m here and I’m not going anywhere.’

‘Good,’ Changbin replied, voice deep with emotion.  ‘Because neither am I.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did somebody order a disaster wrapped in a train wreck? Have one anyway orz
> 
> Alternately, reassure me that this wasn't rubbish and you'll have a shard of my heart forever ;;

**Author's Note:**

> Most of this was written in a mad frenzy last night (apologies for the lack of realism and depth,,). I had a lot of heavy thoughts on the brain then Jenny of Oldstones started playing and..... well. どうぞ。
> 
> Next chapter will be up in a day or two.


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